Former Grand Valley State and Lions receiver David Kircus files for bankruptcy

GRAND RAPIDS -- After filing for bankruptcy protection, David Kircus, a former Grand Valley State star and NFL receiver, continues to be dogged by his attack on another man while Kircus played for the Denver Broncos.

The victim this month filed a petition in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids to protect any damage awards in the May 2007 beating.

The attorney for Jeffrey Krieger, who has undergone four surgeries for facial injuries, said a state court in Colorado found Kircus liable for Krieger's injuries.

But before damages could be determined, Kircus, who lives in Rockford, filed for bankruptcy, which put the Colorado case on hold, attorney James Oppenhuizen wrote in court papers.

Krieger asserted that his claim against Kircus cannot be discharged by bankruptcy.

The assault, at an early morning party in suburban Centennial, Colo., happened while Kircus played for the Denver Broncos. Krieger said Kircus entered his home without permission and refused to leave, according to court documents.

He said Kircus punched or kicked him and left him bleeding in the driveway or street as he drove away. Krieger was taken by ambulance to a hospital for emergency surgery to repair a broken eye socket and cheek bones, documents showed.

Krieger last fall reported $102,149.71 in medical bills and lost wages. In all, his attorney requested more than $500,000 in compensation for economic loss, pain and suffering, permanent disfigurement and punitive damages.

Kircus, who claimed self-defense, was released by the Broncos a few months after the assault. Then-Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said the move was unrelated to the off-the-field trouble.

Kircus signed with the Miami Dolphins in 2008 but was released after the second preseason game.

Dubbed "Circus Kircus" for his acrobatic catches in college, he and quarterback Curt Anes formed a dynamic duo that led GVSU to the Division II national championship in 2002.

Kircus, a sixth-round pick, once played for the Detroit Lions, while Anes, signed as a free agent, spent two training camps with the Lions.

In the Colorado case, Kircus, originally charged with a felony, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge and was sentenced to two years of unsupervised probation. He has acknowledged the allegations hurt his career with the Broncos.

Financial problems for former pro athletes are no surprise, according to a Sports Illustrated report. After two years of retirement, 78 percent of former NFL players have filed for bankruptcy or are under financial stress. An estimated 60 percent of former NBA players go broke within five years of retiring, the magazine said.

Kircus listed assets between $50,001 to $100,000 and liabilities between $100,101 and $500,000. He reported income of nearly $83,000 from the Broncos in 2007 and $18,000 from the Dolphins in 2008.

A 2007 Cadillac Escalade, valued at $60,000, and a $3,000 Ski-Doo Renegade, were repossessed or sold last year, bankruptcy documents said.